Savage Urges (The Phoenix Pack, #5)(59)

Makenna placed her hands on Ryan’s chest. “You okay?”

Ryan wrapped his arms tight around her, burying his face in the crook of her neck. A hard exhale shuddered out of him. Feeling her pulse beat against his mouth helped ease the fear that had gripped him with iron jaws. He let her comfort him. Let her scent, touch, and voice smooth over him, settle his heartbeat, and thaw the cold rage that had iced his veins. His wolf, too, took comfort in her presence and warmth.

“I need to take a look at your leg.” But Ryan didn’t release her, just kept breathing her in.

She kissed his throat. “It’s healing fast.”

The SUV pulled up, and Dante quickly tossed Jeff into the trunk. The Beta then smiled at the other humans. “We know how much you all must love Jeff, so if any of you would like to come along and meet the members of The Movement, say so now.”

It wasn’t a shock when none of them said a word. They might be fanatical and prejudiced, but they had a sense of self-preservation. Or, at the very least, they had way too much fear to follow their leader into what would effectively be hell.

Dominic rapped his knuckles on the top of the trunk. “Did you hear that, Jeff? Me neither. There’s nothing but blessed silence. Your disciples aren’t as devoted to you as you thought, huh. That’s gotta hurt.”

Makenna sure hoped it did.





CHAPTER FOURTEEN





Really, I’m fine,” Makenna assured Madisyn, who had her on speakerphone so that Dawn and Colton could join the conversation. Suspecting they would see the news coverage soon enough, Makenna had called as soon as she reached Phoenix Pack territory to assure them she was okay.

“Give the Phoenix wolves our thanks,” Dawn told her. “We owe that pack more than we’ll ever be able to repay.”

“You should have called me!” whined Madisyn. “I would have come! I would have helped you!”

Makenna smiled, touched by her friend’s protectiveness. “I know you would have, which is exactly why I didn’t call you.” Madisyn hissed, not so touched by Makenna’s protectiveness. “My boss called a few minutes ago; he said extremists turned up at the gas station this morning too. They did some marching and shouting outside.”

Dawn hissed. “Let me guess. You no longer have a job.”

“Good guess.” It wasn’t because she was a loner or that her boss was prejudiced against shifters. He simply couldn’t afford to lose the business that extremists would chase off.

Madisyn bit out a curse. “Where’s that Jeff f*cker now?”

Dante had dropped Jeff off at Mercury Pack territory on their way here, certain that Ally’s foster brother would come for him soon. But since Makenna promised Ryan she wouldn’t reveal Ally’s connection to The Movement, she simply said, “He’s no longer a problem.”

“How’s Ryan doing?” asked Colton. “Not so well, I’m thinking.”

From her position in the tunnel, she glanced into the kitchen, where most of the pack was gathered for lunch. Ryan was staring at her with his usual frown. His eyes weren’t as wild now, but he was far from calm. “He’s been better.”

“Is Zac settling in all right?” asked Dawn.

Makenna smiled. “Yes, he’s got the biggest crush on Hope. It’s super cute. He’s very happy here.”

“I think you will be too.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t play with me, Makenna Wray; I’ve known you since you were a child. I know you better than most.”

“Not better than me,” snorted Madisyn.

“And I’ve seen the way Ryan looks at you,” continued Dawn. “That male cares for you, just as you care for him. He might look like a menace to society at first glance, but he’s an honorable person. He’s a keeper. At your age, being alone might not be so bad. But at my age, when you realize you’ll probably grow old alone and even die alone, it hurts. Don’t be like me. If he offers you more than something casual, take it.”

Chest tight, Makenna said, “I didn’t realize how much you hurt inside, Dawn. I’m sorry.” She should have seen it.

“Don’t be sorry, sweetheart. There are many good things and many good people in my life. I don’t have . . . what do you call them, Madisyn? Oh, pity parties. I don’t have them. But a person can be happy and sad at the same time.”

As Grace and Hope began to lay food out on the table, Makenna said her good-byes and ended the call. Ryan had saved her a seat between him and Zac. She slid into it with a smile, watching as both males piled food on her plate. Taking care of her, she knew. “You two are sweeties.” Both males scowled at her, indignant. She laughed.

“I picked up too much stuff, so I dumped some of it on your plate, that’s all,” said Zac with a shrug.

Taryn smiled. “Don’t let him fool you, Makenna. He was seriously worried when he saw the news footage of the extremists outside your building. We all were.” The Alpha female jumped as she dropped her knife.

“Ooh, you’re going to have a visitor,” Makenna told her. At Ryan’s look of confusion, she added, “She dropped her knife.”

Ryan blinked. “Dropping a kitchen utensil symbolizes an upcoming visit?”